Can You Fully Recover From a Spinal Stroke?

Spinal strokes are rare, accounting for 1% of all strokes. It is a life-threatening condition in which blood flow to the spinal cord is disrupted.

When blood flow to the spine is blocked, the cells in the spinal cord are deprived of oxygen and nutrients, which damages and eventually kills them.

There are two main types of spinal strokes:

• Ischemic spinal stroke (more common): Blood clot blocking an artery
• Hemorrhagic spinal stroke (less common): Bleeding in the spinal cord caused by a burst artery

Spinal stroke symptoms appear rapidly, over minutes or hours, and may vary depending on the part of the affected spine.

The most common and predominant symptom of a spinal stroke is radiating pain in the back, neck, and arm, followed by weakness in both legs, numbness, or even paralysis.

Other long-term effects of a spinal stroke may include:

• Physical weakness and/or paralysis
• Loss of sensation in the legs or arms (extremities)
• Pain
• Difficulty walking or using hands
• Dyspnea (difficulty breathing)
• Urinary or bowel incontinence
• Sexual problems
• Mental health issues, including depression
• Fatigue
• Trouble sleeping

Potential complications of a spinal stroke include:

• Pressure sores (due to limited mobility and decreased sensation)
• Joint pain
• Breathing problems
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Pulmonary embolism
• Decreased quality of life

The central nervous system (CNS) is made up of two main parts: the brain and the spinal cord. The brain is the primary control center of the central nervous system. The spinal cord helps transport and coordinate messages between the brain and the rest of the body, facilitating movement and sensation.

An interruption in blood flow to the spine deprives the spinal cord of oxygen and inhibits the transmission of nerve impulses throughout the spinal cord, eventually resulting in cell damage and death.

Although the exact cause of an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke varies, certain contributing factors can increase the risk of a spinal stroke:

• Blood clots
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Narrowing of the arteries due to plaque accumulation, which can be caused by:
  • High cholesterol
  • Smoking
  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Lack of exercise
• Bleeding into the spinal cord, which can be caused by:
  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • Spinal vascular malformation (an abnormal connection between spinal arteries and veins, resulting in spinal cord dysfunction)
  • Spinal aneurysm (a rare condition associated with a bulge representing an area of weakness in the wall of an artery)

Other less common causes of a spinal stroke include:

• Abdominal surgery
• Cancer
• Decompression sickness
• Nerve damage
• Spinal compression
• Tangled blood vessels

Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may perform an MRI to confirm a diagnosis of a spinal stroke and confirm the location/area of a blood clot.

Treatment depends on the type of spinal stroke:

Ischemic spinal stroke

• Clot-dissolving medication, such as aspirin or warfarin
• Medication to stabilize blood pressure or lower cholesterol

Hemorrhagic spinal stroke

• Emergency surgery if necessary

Both types

• Physical therapy (improves range of motion, strength, and mobility)
• Occupational therapy (restores functional independence)
• Sensory retraining (repairs and restores the sensorimotor system)
• Smoking cessation
• Limiting alcohol intake
• Stress management
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Exercising regularly